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It feels like every time you start to understand your skin on a deeper level, things change. And transitioning from your twenties into your thirties is no exception! You may have noticed your skin looks more tired than it used to, or maybe it’s feeling more sensitive and dry. Wishing your complexion had visible radiance and hydration? In your thirties, you’re not alone.

There’s plenty going on with your skin this decade, which is why creating a skin care routine for this stage of your life is super important. What worked before might not be working as effectively – or at all – so it’s time to change things up and look for ingredients that nourish your skin while also protecting against environmental pollutants and free radicals.

What Happens To Your Skin In Your 30s

Where do we start? This is a transitional period in terms of your complexion. Skin concerns that you dealt with in your twenties may or may not be an issue now, but new ones are popping up. Some telltale signs that your skin has hit its thirties include more prominent signs of aging: Fine lines, an overall dull or dehydrated complexion, a loss of collagen and volume in certain areas of the face and skin that doesn’t bounce back like it used to.

Another factor to consider is that what took place over the last ten years starts to reveal itself in this decade of life – in other words: What happens in your twenties doesn’t stay in your twenties. Too many days out in the sun without sunscreen? Sun spots and hyperpigmentation start to become noticeable. Didn’t use skin care products with antioxidants? Signs of skin damage from free radicals begin showing up in the form of fine lines and dry skin.

And if that wasn’t enough to think about, hormones might still be causing issues for skin, even well into this decade! Fluctuating levels – combined with daily stress, environment and a less-than-optimal diet – could show up on your skin in the form of breakouts and even cystic acne (sadly, this is not just a teenage issue).

“You may start to notice that your skin looks more tired, less radiant and may become drier and more sensitive,” the Eminence Organics Product Support team explains. To counteract these common signs of aging, the best skin care routine for this age includes products that exfoliate, hydrate and encourage cell turnover.

Let’s do a deeper dive into some of the most common issues you’ll want to address in a skin care routine:

Signs Of Aging Become More Prominent

While you might have noticed fine lines, dehydration or hyperpigmentation in your twenties, this is the decade where they become even more noticeable in areas like the forehead, eyes and mouth.

Collagen, Elastin And Estrogen Production Starts To Slow

As your body ages, production of collagen and elastin (responsible for the suppleness and elasticity of your skin) slows down, leaving it feeling less firm. The decline in collagen production starts in your mid-to-late twenties, so by your thirties you’ll want to address it. Additionally, an estrogen slowdown can cause a change in the fullness of your face, especially around the jaw and cheekbones.

Dullness And Dryness Become Noticeable

The arrival of your thirties also comes with a slowing of your cell turnover cycles, meaning dead skin cells stick around (literally) and cause an overall dull or dry complexion. Dry skin also makes it harder for skin care products to penetrate deeper into cells, limiting the effectiveness of nourishing ingredients.

The best skin regimen for this stage involves the essentials – cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen – as well as additional skin care products that help address more prominent signs of aging.

The Best Skin Care Routine for Your 30s

Want to create an effective and revitalizing routine that addresses common concerns while also promoting radiant and healthy skin? Here are the essentials:

Cleanser: Look for a versatile cleanser, like our Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser, that removes buildup and makeup from the skin while also gently exfoliating. According to our customer, Vicky, who has one bottle in her shower and one on the counter: “This is the best cleanser. Smells amazing and it cleanses your face, removing all the makeup, impurities and gently exfoliates! I use it day and night.”

Toner & Essence: After cleansing, use a toner to brighten and hydrate dull skin. Double down with a lightweight essence to add moisture. The Stone Crop Hydrating Mist and Birch Water Purifying Essence are both great options in your thirties.

Exfoliation: Give your exfoliating routine an extra push or polish. Our Turmeric Energizing Treatment, Radish Seed Refining Peel and Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant are treatments designed to gently buff away dead skin to encourage cellular turnover. 

Mask & Treatment: For areas that need more attention, use natural retinol alternatives like our Bamboo Firming Fluid to fight the first signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles. And incorporate a skin-boosting serum or a mask into your routine. The Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum protects against free radicals and oxidation. Vitamin C is a great choice, as is something with soothing main ingredients, like our Stone Crop Masque. 

Moisturizer: Always hydrate with products that contain deeply nourishing emollients and hyaluronic acid. An eye cream is also recommended to firm and tighten increasingly prominent fine lines. Try the Neroli Age Corrective Eye Serum or the Wild Plum Eye Cream.

Sunscreen: A must, always! Protect skin from further sun damage by using a topical sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF. Our Lilikoi Daily Defense Moistuizer SPF 40 is a foolproof option.

Additional Steps to Take

Caring for your skin often starts on the inside. Be sure to drink the recommended eight to 10 glasses of water a day to help hydrate your skin from within. Protective antioxidants through a healthy diet (think green tea and Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables) are another valuable addition to your regular intake. You can also keep your skin healthy by reducing stress to a minimum through positive mental health and even engaging in regular exercise!

Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner to learn more about your skin as well as the best skin care routine for your age group.

Not in your 30s? Find skin care information for your age group: 

This article was originally written in December 2019.

Forties are the new thirties, right? If that’s the case, then why didn’t your skin get the memo? While it’s true that this decade brings more of the same changes that hit your skin 10 years ago (hi, collagen loss, slowing cell turnover and dehydration), it doesn’t stop there. In your forties, you start to see more visible changes – especially in the structure of your skin. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening this decade and how to adopt the best skin care routine for your forties.

What Happens To Your Skin In Your 40s

Collagen and elastin are important proteins that provide structure to your skin, keeping it firm, plump and youthful looking. Your body naturally produces collagen in abundance when you’re young, but once you reach your forties, collagen production declines to new lows; enough so that it makes a visible difference to your skin. The Eminence Organics Product Support Team explains that with less collagen in your forties, “this is the time when lines start to appear around your mouth.” With the loss of the structural support provided by important proteins, the skin begins to sag and lines and wrinkles become more apparent.

Not only does the skin lose its elasticity, the subcutaneous fat under the skin melts away as we get older. Without the padding that keeps the cheeks high and plump, the skin tends to droop and jowls make their first appearance. Keeping the skin firm and tight becomes priority number one during this decade.

As the years pass, you may also notice your complexion becoming more dull. Cell turnover starts to slow down in your thirties, meaning that dead skin cells shed less frequently and fresh new skin cells are sluggish to reach the surface. The end result? A complexion that’s more dull than dazzling. 

And while the skin is surrendering its natural radiance and elasticity, it also becomes dry. Continuing the process that started in your thirties, the skin produces less sebum, the oily waxy substance that moisturizes and protects those top layers on your face. With less of the body’s natural oils coating the skin, the complexion loses moisture easily, becoming both dry and dehydrated. Dry skin makes fine lines become more obvious, leaving the skin with more visible signs of aging.

Ingredients For Skin Care In Your 40s

To combat the acceleration in the appearance of aging during this decade, you’ll want to focus on specific skin care ingredients for your forties. Here are our top picks: 

Botanical Peptides

Plant peptides are some of the most powerful ingredients to target the look of aging. A type of molecule that makes up proteins, a peptide can signal to the body to create more collagen — a very useful function when your skin is rapidly losing this structural protein during this time of life. Topical products actually containing collagen, however, may not always deliver the intended effects. Collagen molecules don’t have the ability to penetrate the skin. Peptides, on the other hand, are smaller, which makes them a better option for topical use.

Natural Retinol Alternative

Like conventional retinol, our botanically-sourced retinol alternative can reduce the visible signs of aging, but without the harsh side effects that conventional retinol can cause. Extracted from plants like chicory root and tara tree, our Natural Retinol Alternative removes dead skin cells, tightens pores, smooths the skin, minimizes the look of lines and even fades the appearance of dark spots. 

You can find the Natural Retinol Alternative in our Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser, Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist and the Bamboo Firming Fluid. According to happy customer Stephanie B.: “My esthetician recommended the Bamboo Firming Fluid as a more natural retinol alternative since retinol products were too harsh and drying on my skin. I have been obsessed with this ever since – definitely notice a difference in my skin when I am using it and a little goes a long way!”

Bakuchiol is another botanically-sourced retinol alternative that is becoming more popular for its powerful results that come without irritation, redness or UV sensitivity. Conventional retinol can cause dryness, redness and sensitivity and can cause a purging stage (essentially where your skin will get worse before it gets better). With retinol alternatives, you don’t have to put your skin through unnecessary stress before seeing coveted results.

Glycolic Acid

The most popular type of alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic acid is usually derived from sugar cane. It effectively exfoliates the skin, increasing cell turnover rate by breaking down the bonds between pore-clogging particles. It also smooths out the look of wrinkles, fades the appearance of dark spots and even prevents problem skin. A perfect exfoliant in your forties!

Botanical Hyaluronic Acid

When your skin is feeling parched, botanical hyaluronic acid is the thirst-quenching ingredient that it’s craving. Deeply hydrating, botanical hyaluronic acid replenishes the skin with moisture, smoothing out the complexion and minimizing the look of fine lines. To maximize the effects, be sure to layer with an emollient moisturizer that complements the acid’s humectant effects. 

Best Skin Care Routine For Your 40s

Using the most potent ingredients that nature provides, here’s the skin care routine we suggest to tackle the issues of middle-aged skin head on, with perfect solutions for those in their forties.

Cleanse: Choose a cleanser that not only removes impurities but also restores the appearance of elasticity and firmness to the skin. Look for botanical hyaluronic acid, which hydrates and leaves the skin looking plump with fewer visible lines and wrinkles.

Tone: Complete the cleansing process with a toner that includes a Natural Retinol Alternative. Formulated with this natural ingredient that mimics the effects of retinol without the side effects, a toner with a Natural Retinol Alternative fights the visible signs of aging, appearing to lift and tighten the skin.

Exfoliate: Lift away dead skin cells with an exfoliant like the Firm Skin Acai Exfoliating Peel. Formulated with glycolic acid – the magic ingredient for the forties age group – this type of exfoliating peel revitalizes mature skin. Glycolic acid and lactic acid rejuvenate, balance and smooth away the look of wrinkles.

Treat: Check the ingredients list for a serum that contains botanical peptides. This skin care essential gives a boost to mature skin types, helping the skin look more elastic with fewer visible signs of aging.  

Moisturize: A high quality moisturizer is another vehicle for delivering botanical peptides to the skin. Double the impact with a peptide-packed moisturizer and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. During the day, layer on an SPF moisturizer as well. A moisturizer with both UVA and UVB protection shields your skin from the aging, damaging effects of the sun. 

Night Cream & Mask: To combat the dryness of mature skin, invest in a good night cream. Since skin repairs itself while you sleep, a night cream works wonders while you catch your zzzs. Look for one containing additional oils like jojoba and grape seed oils. You can also add an overnight mask for ultimate hydration and to improve the appearance of elasticity with a mask to restore that youthful glow.

Eye Cream: Don’t forget the part of your face with the most delicate skin by applying an eye cream. Choose one that hydrates the eye area with hyaluronic acid and botanical peptides for bright eyes that look revitalized. Customer Lisa left a 5-star review about the Marine Flower Peptide Eye Cream saying: “Amazing results! Wrinkles are less defined and my eye area is more plump.”

Watch Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar as she details the ingredients you need in a skin care routine for people in their 40s: 

Find out more about recommended products to build into your forties skin care routine at the nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner. Which key ingredient are you already using for your mature skin care routine? Let us know in the comments or on social media. 

Not in your 40s? Find skin care information for your age group: 

This article was originally written in December 2019.